The Death Penalty: Isn't it better than spending the rest of your life in jail?

I wouldn't want to spend the rest of my life in jail. Ending it all with a lethal injection would be fine with me.

I would prefer the death penalty. Life in prison is no life.

I would prefer the death penalty; however, the only question I have is: Does the survival instinct kick in--and would you then prefer to live your life in jail rather than receive the death penalty?
A lethal injection seems like an easy way to go.

Yes.

Gary%20Gilmore

Nope. I'd prefer prison. Maybe I'd finally get around to reading all the books I don't have time to read now.

You're all forgetting about HOT PRISON SEX!

I watch enough "Lock Up" shows on MSNBC. Kill me now. I would never want to life in prison. The death penalty would be a blessing.

If it's life in prison like how they described it would be for Jahar: 23 hours in lock up, food is passed through a slot. Then he's allowed 1 hour a day of going out but only when there's no other inmates around, then I could see death being preferable.

The worst thing about prison in my imagination is being surrounded by thugs. I suppose if you are a thug that might not be so bad.

It depends on the person. Some people acclimate fairly well to a prison environment while others never do. It's probably always going to be harder on someone as young as Jahar because most of the things he enjoyed are going to be taken away from him.
I've known a few people who were actually happier in prison than on the outside.

I'd prefer prison. I might finally get laid then.

The prison population would annoy the hell out of me. Strap me in, boys.

Even if you get the death penalty... you'll still spend the rest of your life in prison.

Richard Speck seemed to enjoy his life in prison.

A few things:
1) The people usually faced with real, hard prison time are the types that will adjust well to it, so death doesn't seem like a better option.
2) It is easy to say "give me death" when you aren't actually facing that possibility. I wonder how many people would opt for prison when realistically facing the gas chamber.
3) If it was a solitary confinement scenario, I think all bets are off and most people would opt for death.
4) What kind of prison are we talking about here? Would I have access to dope and inmates who resemble Chris Meloni and that other guy from Oz?

So far, Sirhan Sirhan has been imprisoned for 44 years for the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy. That seems like a long time to live behind bars, but Jahar is even younger than Sirhan was at the time of his crime. Sirhan, a Palestinian, killed RFK over his support for Israel during the Five Day War.
Sirhan is 69 now and by all accounts he is in good health. He is given automatic parole hearings every five years, but it's highly improbable he'll ever be paroled.

Gas chamber?

That's one of the reasons I oppose the death penalty. Life in prison is far worse punishment than loss of your life.

Mmmmmm...I'd find me a big ol' Daddy and then I'd find someone to teach me how to speak Spanish.

I wouldn't want the electric chair, but I'd take a lethal injection. It's sleep inducing, and then you're dead.

r17 I don't think so. If that was the case then the condemned wouldn't feverishly appeal to have their life spared.
Humans do eventually adapt to any situation they are in. You get used to the routine so much that it becomes "normal."
Prisoners on death row are separated from the general population. They don't share their cell with anyone. It's a lonely. isolated and repetitive life, but you aren't subject to the daily violence that those in the general pop feel.
I think you're deluding yourself if you think the life in prison is worse than being put to death.

Dr Dirk Greineder seems like the kind of freak that would actually enjoy being in prison for life ...gives him a chance to "counsel" young inmates.